I've been dealing with Health Anxiety for almost 2 years now. It wasn't until about 14 months that I started having my stomach/digestive symptoms. I have experienced random aches and pains in my stomach as well as bloating and fullness. My stool has been solid throughout this stomach bout duration with some constipation. My doctor believes it to be GERD related. The scare I have is that my father had passed away from complications due to this cancer and I am afraid that I may have it. There isn't much information on it because it is rather rare, but in terms of it being hereditary....below is all that I could find on it. Any thought?

Dr. Loggie recently answered questions presented by members of the PMP Pals' Network who are concerned about the possibility of hereditary or environmental factors that may possibly be associated with Appendix Cancer/Pseudomyxoma Peritonei.

Is there any evidence that appendiceal cancer/Pseudomyxoma Peritonei, is a hereditary or familial disease?

“We have investigated this issue closely here at Creighton University School of Medicine.Dr Henry Lynch, for whom Lynch Syndrome (familial colorectal cancer) was named, is a colleague and is Chair of Preventive Medicine here in our Hereditary Cancer Center.

To our surprise, we have NOT found a familial association for appendix neoplasms and Pseudomyxoma Peritonei. In fact, we have seen a rate of “familiality” (family history of colon or appendix tumors suggesting an inherited pattern in the family) that is less than expected by one fifth (based on risk from right sided colon cancer: about 1% versus 5%). Overall, I think this is good news for families!”

It's really common for people with HA to worry about the diseases that claimed loved ones and friends in the past. My dad died of lung cancer, so I've worried about that in the past and cancer in general.

Unfortunately the cancer you're worrying about has symptoms that are really common with anxiety. If you look through past posts, you'll see a ton of people worried about colon cancer, ovaca and other gastro issues because they suddenly have abdominal pains, stool changes, bloating and/or gas.

Fortunately, though, I found this online from a research doctor who studies PMP: "To our surprise, we have NOT found a familial association for appendix neoplasms and Pseudomyxoma Peritonei." My (non-medical) diagnosis: IBS and possible GERD caused by anxiety. Fix the anxiety and exercise and I'll bet your issues will go away.

Are you doing any aerobic activity? Or yoga? Both of those work better for me than weights. Basically if I don't get my heart rate up and sweat for at least 30 minutes, 4 times a week, I'm a crazy person.

Good luck with the anxiety - if you can't get a handle on it yourself, cognitive behavioral therapy can be really helpful. I recommend trying everything from meditation to therapy before you jump into meds - they just cause more symptoms in most people.